Swish. Swish.
The cold wind howled through the crooked alleys as it seeped into the bones of anyone unfortunate enough to wander the streets... at this time.
Especially for the non-cultivators.
If one looked toward the horizon, they could see the Moon beginning to rise as nightfall draped Anter Town in a heavy cloak of darkness, broken only by the faint, flickering glow of lanterns hanging precariously from rusted poles—and, of course, by the moonlight as well.
Just like that,
In a remote corner near the Lu Clan's outer territory stood a modest inn.
And one of the rooms within the inn was dimly lit by the warm, golden glow of lanterns. Inside, no outsiders were present except the Lu Brothers. They sat around a flickering fire burning in an old, charred barrel. At the center of the fire, a chicken was sizzling, its smoky aroma mingling with the scent of alcohol.
Well,
The inn was nothing grand, but it served its purpose well. It was a place where the Lu brothers could gather away from prying eyes and relax whenever they had the chance to return to this town, their hometown.
"Tsk," Lu Yao leaned back in his chair, his bandaged hand resting on the armrest. His face twisted into a sneer as he spoke… voice laced with irritation.
"Fuck, I should've killed that bastard. If only you hadn't stopped me, brother Muchen." Lu Yao's eyes glinted with hatred.
"He's nothing but a walking corpse. Why not let him live for a while? If we stain our hands with blood openly, our clan's reputation might be at risk. We must be cautious while making our move, right, brother Gaolin?" Lu Muchen replied calmly.
In response, Gaolin nodded back.
Lu Xiaobo snorted, tossing a scrap of wood into the fire. "Serves him right; he got marked by Dawnbringer. With a broken dantian, what can he do? His death is inevitable. Weaklings like him are nothing but a burden to themselves. This ominous world spares no one. Tsk, not even my brother made it back."
He took a swig from his bottle, his expression darkening as memories of his brother surfaced. A flicker of bitterness crossed his face, but he quickly masked it with a sneer.
"The thing is…" he continued, his voice low and dripping with scorn, "this time, even the nobodies got the mark. But what really pisses me off is how many noble brats are joining the fray. The upcoming tournament at Huanhu, hosted by the Four Major Alliance, is going to be intense. Can we also secure some spots? If only we were chosen too, so we could have a higher chance to join that place."
Hearing Lu Xiaobo's words, Lu Muchen rolled his eyes as he flipped through a small, weathered book. His voice was calm as he spoke again:
"Let's drop it already, brother Xiaobo. Talking about 'Chosen Ones' ruins the mood. The curse doesn't discriminate, right? Everyone over eighteen has a one-way ticket to that hellhole—sooner or later. Some go early, some later. And some… well, maybe some never get chosen at all. The odds are 50/50. So, we must ensure that we are fully prepared for all situations. As for getting a chance to join that place? We have to rank in the top 10 within the upcoming tournament…"
Lu Muchen smirked, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. "Power isn't something we can just stumble into out of nowhere. If it were, people wouldn't be dropping like flies every day. To survive here or there, we'd need more than mere luck. My estimate? The chance of dying here is equal to there. One wrong move, and that will be our doom."
They, too, knew that even Lu Gaolin, the most talented among them, was nothing compared to the so-called prodigies of the noble clans and holy lands.
They chuckled as they continued their talk, their voices growing louder as they tossed around bold plans and drunken dreams of power. They clung to the hollow assurance that they'd be ready when their time came.
But none of them had any idea that a figure was approaching their door.
[Devoured Emotion (Fear) from Lu Pilo and gained 1 Emotion Point]
[Devoured Emotion (Fear) from Ji Jian]
"Please sp-"
Puchhi!
In the shadows of the inn's passageway, a silhouette was moving with an almost unnatural grace. At first glance, one might mistake it for a walking corpse, due to its slow and unsteady gait, especially after seeing the blood dripping from that person's clothes.
This was no zombie. This was a total maniac.
His crimson eyes were gleaming with a sharp, cruel light. His lips curled into a smile, like a devil's smile, as he stepped closer. And he didn't care about the lifeless bodies lying before him, who faced his sword's wrath.
He might not have cared, but if there were any weak-hearted people witnessing the scene, they might have collapsed. The bodies were torn apart, their limbs sliced like vegetables being chopped.
Meanwhile, oblivious to what was happening outside the door, Lu Gaolin's voice sliced through the chilled air, his tone filled with confidence.
"Whatever the case, my brothers, the Lu Clan will always be on top. We are still young, and there will be plenty of time for our growth. I'll prove to my father that I'm not inferior to my siblings. I'll—"
He halted mid-sentence, his expression shifting from confidence to shock as his gaze locked onto something behind Lu Yao.
The figure had white hair. His pupils were red, while his sclera was completely black, and what made Lumumba tense was the blood that clung to the person's face and clothes, indicating that he had come here with ulterior motives.
Somehow, this person felt familiar, but Lu Gaolin couldn't recall why.
"Who? What the…?"
Unfortunately, the situation had already caught up to them.
The things they thought could never happen were happening, and they didn't even know it.
Lu Yao frowned, puzzled by his senior brother's sudden change in demeanor.
"What's wrong? You look like you are seeing a ghost." He chuckled nervously, though a cold shiver ran down his spine.
'Anyway, why am I feeling this sudden chill?' Lu Yao thought, his carefree demeanor faltering.
Then, without saying another word—
Before anyone could react, Fang Rui stepped into the light. His sclera, normally white, was now deep black, with crimson, piercing pupils. The smile he wore was completely twisted—pure insanity. His hand gripped a bloodied sword, a blade soaked in blood that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.
"Look ou-!!" The other shouted.
While,
Lu Yao turned, his heart pounding as he caught sight of the figure behind him. His eyes widened in shock.
"What the—!!"
He tried to dodge the oncoming attack, but the words died in his throat as his vision went dark.
Puchii!
Fang Rui lunged in a single, fluid motion, his sword slashing through the air with terrifying precision.
The Tang Dao hummed, anticipating blood as spiritual energy crackled around it. Though he had not yet resumed the path of cultivation, the sword was different. It resonated with the natural energy (Spiritual Qi) of the environment, as if devouring and harnessing that energy to sharpen its edge.
However, the quantity was low, barely noticeable.
[Echos: Tang Dao (Unique Tier), Evolvable (Progress 1%)
Bonded Master: Fang Rui]